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THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST - Iron Maiden
from The Number Of The Beast (1982) album
written by Steve Harris
[Prologue]
"Woe to you, Oh Earth and Sea,
for the Devil sends the beast with wrath,
because he knows the time is short...
Let him who hath understanding reckon the number of the beast
for it is a human number, its number is Six hundred and sixty six."
-Revelations ch. XIII v.18
[Intro]
D5
[Verse 1]
D5 D5
I left alone my mind was blank,
C D5
I needed time to think, to get the memories from my mind.
D5 D5
What did I see, can I believe,
C D5
that what I saw that night was real and not just fantasy.
[Verse 2]
D5 D5
Just what I saw in my old dreams,
C D5
were they reflections of my warped mind staring back at me?
D5 D5
Cos in my dreams it's always there,
C D5
the evil face that twists my mind and brings me to despair.
[Interlude]
C D5 C D5 C C C D5
Yeeeah...
[Verse 3]
D5 D5
The night was black was no use holding back
D5 C D5
Cos I just had to see was someone watching me
D5 D5
In the mist dark figures move and twist
D5 C D5
was all this for real or some kind of hell
[Chorus]
C G C D5
Six-six-six the Number of the Beast
C G C D5
Hell and fire was spawned to be released
[Verse 4]
D5 D5
Torches blazed and sacred chants were phrased
D5 C D5
as they start to cry hands held to the sky
D5 D5
In the night the fires are burning bright
D5 C D5
the ritual has begun, Satan's work is done
[Chorus]
C G C D5
Six-six-six the Number of the Beast
C G C D5
Sacrifice is going on tonight
[Bridge]
D5 Em F G x4
[Solo 1]
Bb Bb F F x4
D5 N.C. Bb N.C.
F F G A C
[Solo 2]
D5 F G Bb C x4
D5 F G Bb C x2
[Verse 5]
D5 D5
This can't go on I must inform the law
D5 C D5
Can this still be real or some crazy dream
D5 D5
But I feel drawn towards the chanting hordes
D5 C D5
they seem to mesmerise ...can't avoid their eyes
[Chorus]
C G C D5
Six-six-six the Number of the Beast
C G C D5
Six-six-six the one for you and me
[Verse 6]
D5 D5
I'm coming back, I will return.
C D5
And I'll possess your body and I'll make you burn.
D5 D5
I have the fire, I have the force,
C D5
I have the power to make my evil take its course.
[Outro]
C D5 C D5 C C C D5 C D5
-TTP